Display board



June 19, 1928. 1,674,308

W. B. SWAN DI SPLAY BOARD Filed April 6, 1927 2 sheets-Sheet l June 19, 192s. f 1,674,308v

W. B; SWAN DISPLAY BOARD Filed April 6', 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented .lune 19, 1928.

WILLIAM- B. SWAN, OF SEYMOUR, CONNECTICUT.

DISPLAY BOARD: .i

Application filed April`V 6,192@ Serial No, 18` ,1,44`2

This invention relates to an apparatus tor displaying articles offered. for sale,

has 'for an object to provide a device of this character which will display the articlesin a position where they maybe easily eX-,

amined, and may all be eventually examined from a single location.

lt is also an object of the inventiontoplo.- j vide a device of this character whichwill haveA a plurality of boards or panels iior` carrying the articles to be displayed, which4 boards or panels will be successively moved to a given position, which also at a given position will be turned throughan angle ot one hundred and eighty degrees to expose articles carried on opposite sides ot the panel, and the movement of the panelV will be such as to attract attention..

TWith the foregoing and other ob]ects 1n view, I have devisedthe construction illusQ trated in the accompanying drawingsformp ing a part of this specification. In these drawings Fig. k1 is a partial vertical section7 andpartial front elevation of the device.

Fig. 12L is a vertical central section, on a plane through the centers of the supporting shafts showing how the elements are mounts ed, the centralshaft being in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the panels removed and the lower portionxof the mechav nism in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section substantially on line of Fig. 1 showing detailsofl the operating mechanism.

F ig. 4 is a similar' view showing another position of this mechanism, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan View of the4 means for turning the panels toy reverse the same and expose the articles on the opposite sides thereof.

rlhe device is mounted on a suitable sup,- port, such as a table 10, supported by` suitable legs 11. Most of the mechanism Ais'mounted yon and above the top ofthe table, although a portion of the driving mechanism is mounted belowthis top. Mounted on the top of the table is a ring 12 having spaced upwardly extending flanges 1,3 and Mrtorming a guide.l

groovey 15, and at'the outer periphery of this ring is an upwardly extending sheet metal member-16 forming a iinishing wall to enclose the mechanism and givev a nished appearance. v Y

orv samples, or advertisements or the like, andl av plate 2 6 forming a bearing for the-shaft 17 and'having avv boss onV the 'top forming a bearing Vfor 'a movable: cam Vplate Q27. Mounted above this 'cam plateA is' a ratchet plate- 28 connected to thelcentral bosser hub 29 of ay spider having al plurality. of arms 340.V4 `It is preferred tov use ball thrust bear-` lings between the membersf26, 27' and 2l8fas they give freerv and easier operation.Vv In the'present showing there are fivearins 30 one. for` each of the kfive `panels 3 1. `These thefelbeiils a Supper@ .for @eeh panel. meuse ed to rotate in bearings 33 atlthe' outer endsk of the arms 30. These supports are grooyed j so'thaty thefpaniels'can slide into them from f the ends thereof makingy ita simple matter` tofinsert orfremove thejfpanels.` Eachusup-V port preferably has two grooves, asshown, soI that it may .carry two panels, one facing' inY and the other out, on' which the articles to be displayed are mounted..` When 'inoun'tf ed, however, the etfect'for a [single support is j a-k single panel e and a single panelmay 'beu used to carry the articleson the opposite 'f Y facesthereo'f if-desired. Y vIheupper endsof"v thepanels are', mounted in similar supports" pivotally mounted'Jinjbearings in the armsl of a' spider 36 :similar to Kthe lower" Spider. l ,This spider ismounted yon the outer.,Y

shaft, 1 9 'so that it",y will rotate k'with `the lower spider they are lalso tied ltogether by means of' jtie rods l l Y Connected to the-pivotfor the supports' 32 and below the arms 30; is member Scarry-Q ing a pair of. rollers 89 running in a groove 15in the, ring.12 s oL that as the spiders rotate and carry with them the panels andl ltheir supports, the panels will be heldy so that a given side. will face outvvardly.v These rollers .also cooperate with a special meclanismfto reverse. the panels by rotating through, one hundred and'eighty degrees as they. pass a given point, say' at 'the front of thegmachine.V This Vreversing mechanism is allel with the sides of the offset 40, and therefore, form with the offset a substan- Y tially V-shaped offset comprising a continuation of the guide groove in which the rollers 19 run. block is a guide 42, and the outer Hange 14 is omitted on the outsideof this guide or it is bulged outwardly so as to provide a space for one ofthe rolls outside this guide. The deflector 41 ismounted for limited movement, as indicated by the dotted lines 1n Fig. 5 .l A convenient means of mounting this block is a stud 43 extending through an lelongated slot 44 in the bottom 'wall of the ring 12.` Thisr stud and the inner wall of the guide 42 form guiding means for the movements of the deector, and the ends of the Y slot limit its movements in opposite directions. A spring 45 tends to hold theguide in the full vline position in Figs. 2 and 5,

p in this figure. y

will swing this roller inwardly about the` axis of the bearing 33 for the'panel mount and will move the second or rear roller 39h.

somewhat nearer the right hand side of the offset than the left hand side thereof. Y

It will' be obvious that as the spiders rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 the rollers 39 will run in the guideV grooves 15. As this movement continues the forward roller 39a will engage the rear inclined wall 46 of the deiiecting block 41, as indicated in heavy dotted lines, Fig.

5. The movement of the roller will shift this block 41 to the left to the dotted line position'and Vthe inclined wall 46 will force' the roller into the offset or upwardly, as viewed This movement, vof course,

outwardly about this axis into the outer offsetl portion 47 of the groove 15 Voutside Y the guide v42. The forward roller 39 must i' rollers 39a and 39h are now in the position ,back to its original full kline position.

forwardroller 39'?, therefore, cannot move move along-the inclinedl wall 46 of the de` f flector blockto the apex thereof, and then vthe spring 45 will .shift this ldefle'ctor block 41 The back out the inlet sideA of the offset but must pass out theV other side of the offset or through the groove formed by the offset and the front side'48 of the deflector block. The

shown by the. dot and dash lines of Fig. 5

with what was the rearroller 39b running;

outside the guide 42 somewhat ahead of what was the forward .roller 39a and which is now in the offset 40. Upon continued movement of the spider the wall 49 ofthe offset will force the roller 39a outwardly and the roller 39b inwardly so that they will continue in At the outer side of the" the slot 15, but they are now reversed with the roller 391 ahead. It will be apparent that during this movement the panel has been turned through an angle of one hundred andv eighty degrees and the inner side is, therefore, exposed or looking outwardly while what was the outer side is now turned inwardly.

The spiders and the Vsupports for the panels are rotated about a vertical axis with a step by step movement. For this purpose `the ratchet plate 28 is provided with a plurality of equally spaced notchesy 50, the number of-notches corresponding to the number of panels. Mounted on the cam plate 27 is appivoted pawl `51 with its free end held by a spring 52 against the edge of at bnc side cooperating with a slidable locking pin 59. :The end of this pin is arranged to seat in any one ofthe notches 50, and a` spring GO tends to hold it in this position.

In operation, as the gear 20. isrotated by the motor the crank 61 will be rotated with it. This will swing the link 57 and the armv 56, the arm 56, however, being of such a length that it will not be given a complete revolution but will be. given an oscillatory movement. As this arm is swung back and forth it will, of course, give a similar movement to the arm 54, and thisarm through the link 5,3 will oscillate the cam plate 27. In Fig. 4 this arm 54 is shown in its extreme retracted position and the endj of the pawl 51 has dropped into one of the notches 50 in l,the Vratchet plate. In this position the edge of the cam Yplate 27 has engaged the inner end of the "locking pin 59l and has moved it outwardly out of the notch in the ratchet plate. The ratchet plate is, therefore, unlocked and is free to more.' Now as lthe gear 21 continues to rotate it will swing the arm 54 in the opposite direction or to the left, as shown in Fig. 4. This will swing theA cam plate 27 in the clockwise direction, as, indicated in Fig. 4, and. will carryv with it the Vratchet plate through the action `vof vthe paw] 5l, and vwill also pcarry with it the two spiders 30 and 3G carrying the display panels. Vhen the arm reaches the extreme left hand position` 'shown in Fig. 3 the locking pin 59 may drop into a notch 50 in the ratchet plate under the action of the spring GObecausethe cutoutV 58 in the cam plate is now in alignment with the pin. The ratchet plate and the spiders are now locked against rotation and will be held inv this position while the arm 54 and the cam plate are again retracted or swung .the ratchet plate. A connecting rod or link p Lernens outwardly tothe position sl'i'c/vv'nl in Fig'.

Thus it will be apparent the supporting spiders and the panels carried thereby will be rotated with a step' by step movement.v

Ordinarily the front position is at the b'ottom of Fiff.. 2, and' therefore, it is preferredv to locate the panel reversing mechanismjfust forwardly or to the right. of this position jso that the panels are reversed just prior to their reaching the forward position;

I may also mount on the continuously ro"-` tating central shaft I7 a distinctive sign,

below the Varm is av block 67 seated on' theV upper end of the shaft 19Y and having aV thrust bearing thereon. arms (Seis clamped to the central shaft 17, as by a nut 68, so that ythis support must rotate with this shaft. The support is preferably so adjusted thatV it will reach the forward position or the position over the for` ward panel at about the time .this panel is reversed although, of course, this is merely a matter of preference. ing the swan will make one complete revolution for each step by step movement of the panels.`

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the panels, five in this in-v stance, are all rotated as a unit bodily about an upright axis with a step by step move'- ment, so that they are all moved to a given position in succession and remain stationary in this position a given length of time so that the articles mounted on the panel may be inspected. Also it is apparent that during each step by step movement one of the panels is reversed, exposing by this operation the articles carried on the opposite side of this panel and concealing the articles which were prior to this reversing movement on the outside of the panel. Therefore, practically twice as many articles may be exhibited on this device as there could 'be if the panels were not reversed, and this reversing movement gives the moving element which attracts attention and interest in these types of devices.

Having thusset forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is: Y

l. In a. display board, a rotatable support, a plurality ofpanels for vcarrying articles' to be displayed pivotally mounted on the support, a guide rail having a guiding groove, a pair of guiding elements connected to each panel and both running in said groove, means to rotate the support, and

means in a given position in said guide rail @ne of the upper- T he support carrytofc'ooperate with sai'd'guiding'elements to reverse 'a-p'a'nel as it'move's past said position.

2; Ina display-board, a support mounted to rota-te about ain upright axis, means forl rotating said support,'`-a plurality of upright display panels pivotally mounted on'- said support, a guide rail associa-ted with the sup'- port having 'al substantiallyfcircular guilde, a plurality of guiding elements connected lto eachv panel andeach-cooperating with `said guide to'maintain the panel i'n a given positionV relative to said support,` and? means :at 'a given position to cooperatewith the 'guiding elements to reverse' the panels andv operated by movement of the panel with its support.

31 In a display board,a support mounted to rotate about an upright axis, means for rotating Vsaid support with a step by step'.

movement, a plurality of upright display panels pivotally mounted on said support, a` guide rail below the support having an endless guid'e groove, a plurality of guiding elements connected to each vpanel and running in 'said' ygroove to maintain the panels in` given positions,'and means at a given loca-y tion in said groove to engage said guiding elements and cooperate therewith to reverse the panels as they pass by said location.

4. In a display board, a support mounted to rotate, a plurality of panels pivotally mountedon said support, means for rotating the support, a guide rail adjacent the support having a guide groove with an offset therein, spaced guiding elements con-A nected to the panels and running in said groove, a movable .guide lblock mounted in 'the offset and provided with inclined side walls, said block being in alignment with the groove so that one of the side walls will be engaged by the forward of said elements and Vbe deflected laterally thereby. to turn the panel on its pivot, and a spring to shift the block when the element reaches the apex ofthe block to cause the element to pass on the other side of theV block.

5. In a display board, a support mounted to rotate, a. plurality of panels pivotally mounted on said support, means for rotating the support, a guide rail adjacent the support having a guide groovewith a laterally extending substantially V-shaped offset therein, a guide forming a curved offset in the opposite direction, spaced guiding elements connected to each panel and running in said groove, the first offset having .inclined side walls in alignment with the groove one of which is in position to engage the forward element and deflect yit laterallyY whilethe other element passes through the otherofset and thus reverses the panel. c I

6. In a displayboard, a support mounted to rotate, a plurality of panels pivotally mounted on said support, means for rotating the support, a guide rail adjacent the support having a guide groove with a. laterally leo on its opposite sides, a movable guide block i having inclined walls on its opposite sides substantially parallel with those of the offset, said block being mounted for limited movement longitudinally of the groove, spaced guiding elements connected to each panel and running in said groove, a'spring tending to hold the block nearer one side of y the offset than the thickness of a guiding element, the corresponding side wall of the block being arranged to engage the forward element and deflect it into the offset to turn the panel on itspivot, the other wall of the odset being in position to engage said element to move it back into alignment with the groove, and a guide for the other Velement during the turning movement.

7 In a display board, a rotatable support, means for rotating the support, a plurality of display panels pivotally mounted on the support, a'pair of guide elements connected to each panel, a guide having a guiding groove in which said elements lrun, said groove having one wall laterallyoffset, a

gage the forward guiding elementand force it laterally intoA the offset, said block being adapted to yield to permit this i'noven'ient, and a spring to shift the block in the opposite direction when the element reaches the inner end thereofso that the element mustY pass to the other side of the block.

8. In a display board, an upright continuously rotating shaft, a support mounted to rotate about said shaft, means to rotate thesupport with a step by step movement and arranged to give the support one of Vsaid movements for each revolution of the shaft,

a symbol support mounted to move with said shaft, a plurality ofdisplay panels pivotally mounted on the iirst support, yand means operated by each vmovement of said first support to reverse one of said display panels. In testimony whereof `I affix my signature.

WILLIAM B f SWAN. 

